Abstract
Bethanidine, which is known as a sympathetic blocking agent, was injected into the vein of a dog in an attempt to investigate the influence on renal funciton. Bethanidine resulted in an increased urine flow and glomerular filtration rate, and it produced an increase of urinary sodium and potassium excretion and a decrease of reabsorption rate of sodium and potassium in renal tubules, whereas renal plasma flow showed no significant changes. After pretreatment of phentolamine, a specific alpha adrenergic blocking agent, bethanidine did not significantly increase glomerular filtration rate and diuresis, significantly increased urinary sodium and potassium excretion although the magnitudes were reduced when compared with that of bethanidine alone. In conclusion, bethanidine-induced diuresis appears to be the result of an inhibited tubuler reabsorpting of electrolytes within the kidney through its sympathetic blockade of renal nerves and of an increased glomerular filtration rate, which was caused by the constriction of vas efferense in the glomeruli.